Video Surveillance Guide

Samsung announced today the launch of their new consumer-focused video surveillance systems for home owners and small businesses. The kits, which are designed to be easy and flexible to use, will come in 4, 8, or 16 channel options and include a DVR with recording of 500 GB to 1 TB. They will also feature:

OmniView Technology: Samsung’s proprietary software enabling small and medium business owners to manage an infinite number of systems at multiple geographic locations simultaneously from a single user interface.

QuickConnect: Automatically configures the system with a wireless network to enable remote viewing via PC or Smartphone from anywhere in the world. QuickConnect virtually eliminates the problems consumers traditionally experience connecting products to their network thereby greatly reducing the number of end-user returns.

Mobile and TV Apps: Allows users to watch video from their security systems on the go via their mobile phone or from home on the TV.

Samsung expects compatible high definition box, dome and night-vision cameras to be available starting in March 2011. The Samsung Video Surveillance kits will start at $499.

Source: Samsung

NETGEAR, a global networking company known to most consumers for their lineup of wireless routers, introduced three video surveillance products at the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show today, thus expanding the company into the home security market.

NETGEAR’s new IP home security products include:

The Android based Home Security Screen (HSS101), used to view surveillance video, control lighting and HVAC as well as see live traffic, weather and news.

An IP camera (HSC101) with night vision and motion detection for video surveillance.

A wireless range extender (WN2000RPT) to bridge the WiFi signal between outside IP cameras and screens to the existing home network.

“As the landscape continues to evolve, service providers are consolidating their networks at a rapid pace in order to realize the significant benefits and cost savings that a converged, all-IP network can deliver,” said Michael Clegg, vice president and general manager, Service Provider Business Unit, NETGEAR. “We leveraged our years of expertise in home and business IP networking to develop a product portfolio that gives service providers flexible and reliable solutions to best meet the needs of their customers. With the nine new products announced today, NETGEAR has raised the bar in integrated IP service delivery platforms.”

Compro Technology has just released another indoor camera to their lineup: the IP540.

The IP540 offers 340 degree panning and 100 degree tilting, as well as built-in infra-red lights to allow operation in all lighting conditions.

With the included software, users can control the camera from their mobile devices, including the iPhone, BlackBerry, Android, and Windows Mobile phones.

The Compro IP540, which is available for as little as $199 in the United States, also has a microphone and speaker output that allows for two-way communication.

New York City’s latest addition of about 500 cameras went live today, and are now currently feeding info from some of the city’s busiest hubs to the NYPD’s surveillance network.

The cameras were installed in places like Times Square and Grand Central station, and will be monitored by special software that automatically detects odd behavior. The software reduces the amount of manpower needed to monitor the great number of surveillance cameras, and can alert police as needed. Suspicious behavior detected by the software includes objects staying in one place for an inordinate amount of time. If there was a suspect reported to have been wearing a red shirt, the software could also identify all the people wearing red shirts in the vicinity.

Naturally, the ACLU has some complaints about civil liberties being violated – but NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg says that the freedoms exchanged are far better, including the right to live in a safe environment. We tend to agree with the Mayor.

Source: AP

Last week at SecuTech Expo 2010 in Taipei, Compro Technology displayed their newest IP camera that is focused on the consumer market.

Compro’s line of professional IP surveillance cameras all support Power over Ethernet (POE), which simplifies the installation process where only one wire is required for both the data and power, and two-way audio support is standard.

Also included is a built-in MicroSD slot to support local snapshot storage, a Digital I/O connector for External Sensor and Alarm equipment, and three surveillance software options – iWizard, WebVUer and ComproView, allowing the user to view the cameras from a PC or select mobile phones.

The Compro IP line can also be paired with the Compro Video Mate (WL150) which allows for wireless operation.

Compro’s newest unit, the IP60, will run customers about $100 online.

Companies and individuals alike often go the security route of installing video surveillance cameras over hiring a live guard to stand duty – mainly due to cost. But one gated community in San Antonio actually found that the cameras are more effective at curbing vandalism and community damage.

Before the live-monitored video cameras were installed, the gated community of Vineyard Subdivisions was having consistent problems with people crashing the pool after hours and vandalism to its six community gates. The community had live security guards, but it wasn’t possible for them to be as vigilant as a group of security cameras that are monitored remotely.

“We’ve eliminated all gate damage due to negligence and one person that accidentally rammed the gate, because of the cameras, called in and told us that they had done it,” says the HOA president.

Some of the cameras are even wireless, allowing the community to move them around the property to problem hotspots.

We don’t expect that this approach will work in all security situations, but for neighborhoods dealing with vandalism and improper facility use, surveillance cameras with remote, live-monitoring could prove to be cheaper and more effective in the long run.

Source: Security Director News

Somewhat disturbing news is coming out of the pentagon today, confirming reports that insurgents in Iraq and possibly Afghanistan have been able to hack into the video surveillance feed of U.S. military drones.

The video feeds were unencrypted, so the insurgents were able to view the feeds with a piece of $26 software.

After the breach, the military says it’s working to encrypt the surveillance video that it collects form Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.

Russians take things pretty seriously, especially when it comes to their vodka. That’s why we don’t think the owners of the liquor warehouse in Russia were too pleased when a forklift operator bumped one of the shelving units, sending off a ridiculous chain reaction of vodka destruction.

The cost of the destruction is estimated at around $170,000 – and the driver of the forklift made out with only a broken leg.

When High School Senior Tiana Rapp found that someone had stole $150 from her locker, she went immediately to the school. In turn, the school blamed other students for the mishap, even though an adult hall monitor was patrolling the area.

After another $40 was stolen, the teen placed a video camera in another locker fixed on hers and captured the hall monitor opening the locker with a master key and rummaging through her belongings.

The hall monitor has resigned, and been charged with three counts of petty larceny by the local police department.
Unfortunately, it seems like the school was quick to blame the students and didn’t bother looking into the matter.

For students and parents who are uneasy with the ideas of surveillance cameras in schools, this would be a good example case of how video surveillance can be a two-way street and help protect students from being wronged by school employees. Even so, we don’t expect to see many school districts touting that as a benefit (at least publicly) when they propose surveillance systems.

[Baltimore Sun via @Brickhousesecurity]